August 10, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
115 
T here are various ways of spending Bank Holiday, and it will 
be conceded that those persons who endeavour to combine 
pleasure with instruction on holiday occasions spend the time at 
their disposal not unwisely. When we remember the methods that 
were indulged in by the community during periods of recreation 
some half a century ago and compare them with those in vogue now, 
we cannot fail to recognise an advance in the right direction in the 
habits of the people. The change has been brought about in part 
by the better system of education that is now well established, and 
in part—and a very large part too—by the development of railways 
and the temptations of their managers to secure as large a share as 
possible of the loose cash of the million. Inducements to travel 
have been offered till they seem to have become irresistible, and 
cities and towns become perceptibly emptied by the exodus of 
their inhabitants. Some, it is true, indeed many thousands, stop 
short at the parks and commons that have been provided or 
preserved near populous centres, and this proves the value and 
usefulness of those large, enjoyable, and healthy places of popular 
resort. Thousands more go farther afield and have a veritable 
“ day in the country ” or at the seaside. Then efforts are being 
made in semi-rural districts to attract the people to some pleasant 
centre, such as a gentleman’s park, where a flower show and an 
exhibition of cottage garden and allotment produce is held and 
modes of healthy enjoyment provided. 
There is a greater disposition now than ever existed before to 
afford encouragement to the working population to derive pleasure 
and profit from small gardens and allotments, and, happily, greater 
alacrity on the part of workers to accept it. We read in a daily 
paper that the excellent institution known as the Finchley Allot¬ 
ment Holders’ Society contrived on Monday last to combine business 
with pleasure, and it succeeded admirably. It took advantage of 
Bank Holiday to show what it could do in the cultivation of fruit, 
flowers, and vegetables. There are 345 allotment holders in the 
Seciety, and they contributed nearly 450 exhibits. The Finchley 
Society is an example of what may be done throughout the country. 
It is beyond question that the cultivators of allotments, small 
holdings, and cottage gardens may put into their own pockets a 
great amount of money that is now spent upon importations from 
abroad. Under a fully developed system the cultivation of allot¬ 
ments and small holdings would go far to arrest or counterbalance 
the decline which is observable in several branches of what is still 
the chief national industry. The existence of this Society of 
Allotment Holders at Finchley also reminds us that the English 
petty cultivator may profit by the example of his French neigh¬ 
bours. In a recent report, drawn up at the British Embassy in 
Paris and lately published by the Foreign Office, an interesting 
account is given of the unions which the small farmers of France 
have formed among themselves for the purpose of buying the best 
seeds, manures, and implements at the lowest prices, and of gelling 
their surplus produce on the most favourable terms. 
Another example of spending Bank Holiday on similar lines 
was afforded by the Show of the Beddington, Carshalton, and 
Walliugton Horticultural Society that is established to promote 
interest and efficiency in cottage gardening and allotment culture 
in a district having an area of about four square miles. Mr. A. H. 
Smee, C.C., is a leader in this work, and takes active personal 
No. 685.—VoL. XXVII., Third Sekies. 
interest in the welfare of the Society. At this last Bank Holiday 
Show he provided a class at once novel and useful, and which also 
proved an unqualified success. It may be fittingly termed a 
Sunday dinner class for a working man’s family. The idea 
“caught on,” and it is impossible to speak too highly of the 
results. It is not easy to conceive the effect of some thirty dinners 
arranged side by side, all giving evidence of thought, taste, and 
culinary skill. As the entries came in the question of judges 
became a matter of concern. It is thought that the views of high 
class experts, such as club chefs, might be different from those 
accustomed to dinners of this character. It was eventually decided 
that one of the County Council lecturers on cookery should, in 
conjunction with a gentleman who during many years had practical 
experience of a working gardener’s fare, and who also well knows 
what is good in advanced cookery, award the prizes. Having 
regard to the novelty, excellence, and altogether satisfactory 
character of this dinner show, we asked Mr. Edward Luckhurst 
to describe the exhibits in the belief that his description would 
be of interest to the majority of our readers, and he obligingly 
complied as follows :— 
“ At the annual Show of the Society above mentioned, held at 
Carshalton Park on August Bank Holiday, a novel feature was 
introduced in the guise of a competition open to the wives and 
daughters of all subscribers and members for the best dinner to be 
produced at a cost not exceeding 2s ; the dinner to consist of 
meat and at least two distinct kinds of vegetables, and be sufficient 
for a man, his wife, and three children, the value of each article 
to be clearly stated. This was proposed by A. H. Smee, Esq., who 
with his usual liberality gave £5 to be awarded in four prizes of £2, 
£1 lOs., £1, and 10s., to which, owing to the hearty response 
made to this offer, and the evident utility of the competition, Mr. 
Smee added three other prizes of 7s. 6d. each. 
“ How popular this new departure is was shown by the thirty- 
two entries, filling the central table of a large tent. So good were 
most of the dinners that the work of judging was anything but a 
light matter. To visitors the Show proved an irresistible attrac¬ 
tion, the tent being thronged all the afternoon, and discussion ran 
high over the merits of the exhibits, 
“ As was to be expected this class showed praiseworthy traits of 
humble life and character. How much time, thought and care had 
been devoted to the work, how thoroughly the competitors had 
thrown themselves into it, and how eagerly results were looked 
forward to, could probably hardly be grasped by even such an 
appreciative throng as made access to the table most difficult. 
One point about which there was an unmistakeable concensus of 
opinion was that the best dinner gained the first prize ; but “ how 
Mrs. Stevens did it for the money” was evidently a puzzle. 
Mrs, Stevens is the thrifty wife of the worthy head gardener 
to E, G. Coles, Esq., The Lodge, Carshalton, who himself took 
high honours as first for a collection of vegetables, first for a 
collection of fruits, and several other leading prizes in the Show. 
Mrs. Stevens’ dinner consisted of a well cooked joint of pressed 
beef, a tureen of soup made in cooking the beef, which was 
temptingly glazed and garnished with Beetroot and Parsley ; two 
equally well cooked dishes of Runner Beans and Potatoes, a Plum 
tart, and custard with bread comprised the rest of this appetising 
meal, which was alike admirably selected, cooked, and placed on 
the table. The cost was precisely 2s, To go into details the 
prices given were soup flavouring Id., beef 9d., Beet, Parsley 
and Glaze l^d.. Beans 3d., Potatoes 2d., Bread Id., Plum tart 4d,, 
and custard l^d. The whole of the judging was done by pointing ; 
the points awarded to the first prize being 54, to the second 51 
to the third prize 47, and to the fourth prize 4G, showing plainly 
how close the competition was. The maximum points allowed 
amounted to 98 : soup 8, fish 8, stews 10, meat or puddings 10, 
vegetables 12, sweets (5, pastry 6, savory or cheese 6, bread 4, 
salad 4, sufficiency G, cost G, skill in preparation 12. It will be 
No. 2341.—VoL. LXXXIX., Old Series. 
